Tata's Starbucks appoint Dolly Chaiwala as brand ambassador? Know what the company has to say...

Tata Starbucks, the famous coffee house company, has declined the recent claims circulating online that suggest Dolly Chaiwala has been appointed as its brand ambassador. The company issued a statement on Monday to clarify that the popular tea vendor and internet personality, Dolly Chaiwala, has not been appointed, and the viral claims are untrue.

The company took to  Starbucks India's official LinkedIn account to issue their official statement, with the caption, "In light of recent conversations, we'd like to clarify that TATA Starbucks has no official brand ambassador in India."

"We have noted recent social media posts suggesting that TATA Starbucks has appointed an official brand ambassador. We would like to clarify that TATA Starbucks does not have any official brand ambassadors in India. Specifically, we have not entered any collaboration with Dolly Chaiwala,” the company stated.

“A meme, created independently by a third party, appears to have been misconstrued as a formal campaign. TATA Starbucks is committed to communicating with accuracy and authenticity and we value the trust of our customers and communities,” it continued.

How did the rumour start?

The company's statement was issued in response to the buzz on social media, which claimed that Dolly Chaiwala had been appointed as the Starbucks brand ambassador. According to the company, the origin of this episode was an April Fool's Day prank by influencer Aditya Oza.

The post, which included a photoshopped image and a fabricated story, quickly gained traction and led to widespread speculation. The confusion was further amplified by AI-generated summaries and inaccurate reporting across multiple platforms.

Who is Dolly Chaiwala?

Dolly Chaiwala, originally Sunil Patil, is a tea vendor from Nagpur. He gained fame for his unique and theatrical tea-serving style. His energetic performances while preparing and serving tea have made him a viral sensation on platforms such as Instagram and YouTube.

His rising popularity soared after a widely shared interaction with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates last year. Since then, he has been featured in various marketing campaigns, including an advertisement for the Indian food delivery giant Swiggy.